Potential state, federal spending cuts worry outgoing Gov. Strickland

By MARC KOVAC

news@vindy.com

Second of two-part series

COLUMBUS

Outgoing Gov. Ted Strickland said he is concerned about the effects of potential spending cuts on the future of the state.

In an interview with the Statehouse Bureau of Dix Newspapers and The Vindicator, the governor expressed worries about federal and state cuts and how they could lead to a double-dip recession.

“I think severely cutting back on investing in our people could do that,” he said. “... I think, during this recovery period, as we’re trying to deal with the aftereffects of this terrible, terrible recession, that the economy is still fragile. If the federal government pulls back on investing in job-creating activities and if at each of the state levels, Ohio being one of 50, if the states find themselves cutting back severely, it could have a depressive effect on the national economy that would be harmful to every state, including Ohio.”

He added, “Continuing to invest in education, continuing to make sure that the human service programs are adequately funded, Medicaid as an example. To make sure that we’re able to keep teachers and police officers and firefighters on the job. All of those things will have an effect upon the generalized economy, I believe. And much of the talk now is about cutting and reducing investments. That concerns me.”

Read the full interview, the second part of a three-part series, Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.